An ultrasound transducer is already known from German Published, Non-Examined Patent Application DE-OS 31 37 745, GELHARD, and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,437,032 which is formed as a pot-type transducer. A casting compound has been applied to defined places of its pot as a damping means, which very strongly suppresses the propagation of sound in the damped directions when the ultrasound transducer is transmitting. Sound propagation in the direction of the non-damped horn takes place with appropriately high energy, without damping.
When receiving sound waves, the sensitivity at the damped places of the horn is particularly low, so that sound waves essentially can only be received from the undamped directions.
Pot-type transducers of this type have the property that the transmitting angle in the damped direction is relatively narrow, while it is relatively wide in the undamped direction. For example, if it is intended to detect obstacles without gaps in back of a motor vehicle, several such sensors must be arranged side-by-side.